FA End Betting Sponsorship

Late yesterday afternoon, the Football Association announced the result of its three month review of their relationship with gambling companies and that association now comes to an end.

With Joey Barton criticising the FA for their ties to betting, the FA insisted the review of the relationships held with various bookmakers was already on the cards, but many were interested in how it would play out in reality.

Well, with chief executive Martin Glenn thanking Ladbrokes for its 'professionalism and understanding' of the FA's change of policy, their long standing deal has now been terminated.

The FA and betting companies will continue to work with each other when it comes to sharing information to identify suspect betting patterns but that now will be as far as it goes and in doing so, it's expected the FA will take a hit of around £4million per year in sponsorship revenue.

There is however, as of yet, no mandate from the FA that member clubs should now address their own individual relationships with gambling companies with 11 Premier League teams last season wearing betting logos on their shirts, and of course the EFL's title sponsor is Sky Bet.

You would expect pressure to increase in that direction though, as there may around the saturation of gambling advertisements via broadcast programming.

The decision was made at May's board meeting and all sponsorship arrangements with gambling companies will now end at Football Association level.